Elgin Mayor's Awards for Preservation seeking nominations

The Elgin Heritage Commission is seeking nominations for the 2021 Mayor's Awards for Historic Preservation.

Applications are available on the city's website and are due by 5 p.m. on Feb. 26.

"The Mayor's Awards for Preservation has been a highlight of Preservation Month (May) for the last 31 years," said historic preservation planner Christen Sundquist. More than 300 individuals and groups have been honored over the years.

"Elgin is very fortunate to have a community so dedicated to preserving Elgin's recent and past history," Sundquist added.

The awards are given to individuals, groups and organizations who lead a preservation project, save one or more historical properties, educate and promote an awareness of Elgin's heritage, conduct creative historic projects relating to archival or object collections, or maintain a continuous cultural or historical organization for 50 years or more.

In addition to honoring the preservation efforts of Elgin citizens, the heritage commission uses the event as an opportunity to educate the community about the value of Elgin's unique architecture, neighborhoods and history.

There are eight award categories and winners will be announced at the Mayor's Awards event, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 4 at Imago Events.

"There is always exceptional work happening in the world of preservation here in Elgin, and the commission looks forward to both recognizing and honoring the individuals and groups involved," Sundquist said.